Never Let Go
by Jess.91
Summary: DH Spoilers even the summary. There's a lot of Remus and Tonks death stories out there, so here's mine. They died together, holding tight. Neither could have left the other behind. Oneshot.


Yep, another one-shot. Am thinking of actually doing a real Harry Potter story next, probably about Harry's kids, or Teddy Lupin. We'll see.

And hey, do you all know that originally JK was gonna kill off Harry and Hermione but she changed her mind when all the fans were like don't kill Harry. I never actually thought she was going to kill him...weird to think how close she came to doing so.

Only For You

Summary: DH Spoilers even the summary. There's a lot of Remus and Tonks death stories out there, so here's mine. One-shot.

"Remus, please." Andromeda said quietly. "Just stay here, both of you." Her gaze flipped towards Tonks.

"I can't. I have to go to Hogwarts, I have to help." Lupin replied, shaking his head.

"Mum, it's OK, we'll be back -" Tonks began.

"No, Dora. Stay here with Teddy." Lupin said, pulling on his cloak.

"What? You expect me to stay here?" She sounded annoyed, and hurt, but he couldn't worry about that now.

"Yes. I wont let you come with me. Stay, look after Teddy."

"I'm an auror, I can look after myself." Tonks snapped.

"I know you can. But I want you to stay here."

"You don't have any reason to make me stay." She replied coolly. "I don't have any reason to stay."

"I know. But I'm asking you to do so anyway." Lupin replied quietly. He crossed to her, took her hand. "Please."

"Fine. Fine. Only for you." She muttered. With an attempt at a smile, he nodded, kissed her and Teddy goodbye, and walked to the door. Tonks watched him walk down the path before disapparating.

"He'll be OK, Dora." Andromeda murmured. "He's a good wizard."

"That's not what you said when we got married." Tonks snapped, and a guilty look passed over her mother's face.

"I know. But I was shocked. It was all so sudden, you didn't even invite your father and me."

"It was kinda spur-of-the-moment." Tonks replied. "I told you that. There was only Bill and Fleur there."

"I didn't think he was good enough for you. A werewolf. Older, and poorer and dangerous. Of course I worried. But, Dora, he loves you and I can see that. You love him. That's good enough for me."

"I know. I know you changed your mind."

"I still wish I'd gotten to see the wedding." Andromeda replied, but Tonks was only half listening, trying to talk herself out of something.

"If we get out of this alive, we'll re-do it, do it properly." She replied. "You can invite half the country if you want."

"Dora, no." She'd realised exactly what her daughter meant by the first few words, and her blood had ran cold. "You told him you wouldn't."

"I know. I know, but I can't sit here and not know what's happening. I can't. I have to go, to help."

"Dora -"

"I have to. Look after Teddy."

"Dora, please-"

"Mum, promise me, you'll look after Teddy."

"I...Of course I will." Andromeda whispered. "Be careful. Good luck."

Tonks nodded, hugged and kissed the baby, then her mother. "Goodbye."

And then she was gone.

-----

She raced across the grounds, her heart racing, trying to find his voice among the many, his face in the crowd. Someone had said he'd been duelling Dolohov, she couldn't remember who. She couldn't remember what Dolohov looked like either. And so all she could do was look for Lupin, deflecting curses and sending out her own whenever she had to.

And the she saw him.

Crouched in the shadows of the castle, panting. And then he looked up and saw her, and she felt a flash of guilt at the terror on his face.

"I had to come, don't argue, no time." She said quickly, and he pulled her further into the shadows.

"Go home. Go home _now._"

"No." She replied stubbornly, and he knew there was no time to argue.

"This way."

----

She didn't know who was dead, tried not to think about it. Remus was still alive, still fighting beside her. At the moment, that was all she would allow herself to care about.

And then four death eaters ran out of nowhere.

The two of them sent out curses, but Tonks knew it wasn't going to be enough. Remus grabbed her hand, sent out another curse and one of the death eaters fell.

Maybe they could make it after all.

He started to pull his hand away, and she tightened her grip on his.

"Don't let go. Don't ever let go." She whispered, sending her own jinx out. She turned to look and Remus, and he nodded.

"Never."

They both ducked to avoid a bight jet of green light, neither sure who pulled who down.

They both jumped back up, sending out curses desperately, but then she heard someone - who knows who it was? - yell _Avada Kedavra_ and saw another jet of green flying towards her.

She didn't have time to react, to move, and it was inches away before Remus did. He grabbed her, swung her around in his arms so he was in the way...so the killing curse would hit him instead.

It made no difference, however, as someone behind her had been sending the same curse towards Remus. Unknowingly, while protecting her from one curse, he was throwing her into the path of another. Unknowingly, he was trying to stop something that was going to happen anyway.

The curses hit them both about the same time, maybe even down to the last second. Looking into each others eyes, both knowing what was happening, they were dead before their bodies jolted and hit the ground, dead before they could see the lights leaving each others eyes.

And even as the death eaters left the bodies that were now empty, laying on the ground, they were still somehow clinging to each others hand.

_Never Let Go._


End file.
